An Updated Report on the Diversity of Marine Sponges of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Abstract

Abstract The study was conducted in the South Andaman region of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) with the objective of documenting the diversity of shallow water sponges in the coral reefs. Surveys were conducted at four sites: North Bay, Chidiyatappu, Pongibalu and Ritchie’s Archipelago. A total of 49 species of sponges were documented, all belonging to Class Demospongiae. The highest number of species was from the Order Haplosclerida (13), followed by Poecilosclerida (10), Halichondrida (7), Hadromerida (6), Dictyoceratida (4), Astrophorida and Chondrosida (2), with one species each from Homosclerophorida, Spirophorida, Agelasida, Dendroceratida and Verongida. During this survey 34 species of sponges were recorded for the first time in these islands, of which 22 species were new records to India. The study showed that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands host a rich Poriferan diversity which is very poorly documented, and there is an urgent need to catalog the biodiversity of these sessile invertebrates. An earnest effort is made to review the reports on sponge biodiversity from these islands and to present an updated status of marine sponge diversity in ANI.